Breathe
by becausealways
Summary: After being severely injured in Chinatown, Flynn comes to Lucy's help and comfort, juggling her world of hurt and his growing feelings. Garcy. Movie not canon.
1. Chapter 1

Lucy's head hit the ground with a thud of finality. Her spirit had given up. Her body would soon follow, beaten and choked and dying, everything crying out in pain. Her head screamed at every place a fist had met it, skin burned with the vanished fingers of her attacker. All to do now was lie in defeat, staring emptily into the void, Emma's footsteps trailing in the distant.

She lost.

She pulled the trigger and she still lost.

She lost her sister, her mother, Rufus, even Wyatt in a way. Everyone was gone and there was nothing left for her to do. She kept trying to save the world's history and lost her own in it. So, she lay there, waiting submissively for whatever her world could possibly hail at her next, for her fighting spirit was gone.

Silence.

Emptiness.

Surrender.

Then, warmth.

A large hand laced behind her neck and pulled her closer to himself.

She recognized him. Her enemy, her team member, her confidant, the one she trusted most now.

Flynn.

He groaned at the pain searing through his wound when he took on Lucy's weight. He picked her up the best he could, moving a body that did not want to be moved, for she didn't. She didn't want anything but to be still in the agony of giving up.

Flynn refused. He would not let this be the end of this journey for her. She could not give up on herself. So, he wrapped an arm around her torso and pulled her toward himself once more. With his other hand, he gently cupped her face and with the sternness she needed at the moment, he whispered, "She's gone. She's gone."

Lucy's head had dropped away from him, eyes clenched in the reality that washed over her in his statement. He stared down at her, willing her to just look back at him, look to him for reassurance, for hope, for anything he could desperately do. An instinct fresh and renewed in him in recent weeks because of Lucy washed over him: comfort. He wished to do anything to provide that to her right now. Slowly and only for a moment, Flynn let himself bend toward her face.

But at the same instance, a desperate sob was released from Lucy as she turned to him. In the cracked and gut wrenching sound, Flynn's name was uttered, and then he recognized it in the unique way she said it.

He looked down upon her. Tears streamed down her dirty face as it crinked up in a new wave of pain, blood dripping from brow.

Damn he loved her.

And he wished anything to be able to help her.

Lucy dropped her head back to the side in his hands, hopelessly muttering between cries, "I can't. I can't"

He felt her give up.

Flynn looked up. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to help her. All he could do was offer comfort.

So, he bowed his head toward her cradled one and pressed their foreheads together, rocking back and forth. He could feel her breath against his cheek and hot tears spilling onto his hands, holding her, praying the pain would be over.

He was the first to break their embrace. As much as he never wanted Lucy to leave his arms, reality's pull was too strong on them. They had to get out of this time.

Flynn helped Lucy to her feet, brushing his thumb close to her temple where the dried blood of her injury had settled. Lucy winced but didn't shy away from his touch. She looked up into his concerned eyes, but her attention shifted when she saw the blood stained jacket sticking to his shoulder. He followed the eyes of her knitted brow to his injured arm.

"I'm okay," he whispered over her head as he shrugged the jacket off, loosened his tie, and rolled up the sleeves on his dingy shirt. But Lucy was already at work tearing the hem of one of her skirts and wrapping it over his shoulder to form a sling.

She was still working on the knot when her nimble fingers suddenly stopped. Lucy stared straight ahead as her eyes focused in and out and the room began to spin, blood sinking from her head. Flynn noticed her pause, but she was already back to tying and straightening. A thin lipped smile was the only reassurance she offered.

Their haggard and grief torn team trekked through the dry, windy fields on the outskirts of San Francisco toward the lifeboat. No one spoke, for no one knew what to say. Now was a matter of going through the motions: get themselves back to the lifeboat, to the present, debrief, wait for the next jump.

But how were they even supposed to debrief what just happened.

How were they supposed to keep doing this?

No one knew.

No one even came close.

So they marched on, heads low, mouths closed, thoughts swimming.

Jiya sniffled every few steps as Wyatt stumbled behind. All of them wanted to leave this terrible place, but also stay, knowing this may be the last possible place they will have Rufus with them.

Lucy walked alongside Flynn as they topped the grassy hill the lifeboat was hidden behind. As they began to walk down, the breeze swept her gunfight blown hair across her face and she realized how clammy she was, bringing a hand to her forehead to wipe the beads of sweat. Suddenly, the dizzy feeling was back and blurred vision made her stop in her tracks, grabbing Flynn's good arm to steady herself. Her vision swam and she got lost in it, not even realizing she was crumpling to the ground. Somewhere far away, she heard Flynn's voice cry out to her, shaking her up and out of a reverie her body wanted to fall into.

"Lucy," his concerned call came more clearly this time. She found herself in a heap on the grass, his hand cradling her head. He leaned over and cut the sling with his teeth to hold her closer.

"Flynn," she mumbled, "I'm not feeling…" was all she could get out before a wave of dizziness hit her again. He hoisted her to his chest as he stood up, being careful in cradling her body.

"Lucy's in trouble. We have to go," he almost barked to Jiya and Wyatt.

They all ran to the lifeboat, Wyatt asking a million questions that Flynn did not have time for. He pushed past him to board the lifeboat and gently placed Lucy in her seat, being careful to buckle her in.

It was only then that he noticed the blood.

A small amount had trickled out and stained the side of her dress right below her ribs. Flynn pulled away slightly to see some dripping down his hand.

"She's bleeding, Jiya, can you please hurry," he said trying not to clench his teeth in anger. He leaned back over to Lucy as Jiya started up the machine, squeezing her hand to make sure she was still conscious. Lucy groaned in reply but did not open her eyes.

A flash, a bang, a nauseating feeling, and they were back.

The lifeboat's lock rolled open to an expectant Denise and Connor, happily exclaiming welcomes to Jiya who was the first to emerge. When they were met with silence as Wyatt climbed down, Connor joked, "Well you guys look like hell."

"Rufus is dead," Jiya said loudly, lifelessly, eyes emptily staring into a void.

"And Lucy is dying," Flynn said emerging from the lifeboat carrying Lucy.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Denise cried out to both of their statements. Jiya remained quiet, not feeling like rehashing the ordeal. She would be angry at them later.

"Not sure, but she is bleeding and slipping in and out of consciousness. She needs a hospital," Flynn replied as he made his way down the stairs. He placed her on the nearest cot and gently pleaded her name to coax her back awake.

"Woah, woah I don't think we can take her to a hospital." Flynn tensed up at her refusal. "Your identity could be compromised out there. Emma could easily come after you. And you have no plausible story to explain her injury," Agent Christopher cautioned.

"Denise, she's hurt," Flynn pleaded.

"Let's assess her injury and see what we can do here first before we go escaping into a dangerous situation."

"Fine… but I need your help."

By now everyone had gone off to their separate corners to weep or grieve or fume in anger. Denise fetched the first aid kit and scissors to cut open Lucy's dress. Flynn touched her forehead with the back of his hand.

"She's burning up," he sighed as Denise sat down behind Lucy.

"Maybe you should step out for a minute," she said in an effort to conserve Lucy's modesty.

"I will, once you are through most of it. But for now, you need my help holding her up and bandaging," he replied firmly. "Now Lucy," he whispered to her unmoving, lucid form, "I need you to lean your head on my shoulder so we can cut your dress." She moaned in reply and slowly let her head drop to lean on him. Flynn nodded an affirmative go ahead to Denise and she began unlacing and cutting away at the material, stiff from sweat and blood. He cupped his free hand around her neck and ran soothing circles over her pale skin, whispering encouragements in her ear.

Once the necessary fabric was removed down to the skin of the injury, Denise leaned forward to examine.

"It's a stab wound," she confirmed. "The dress must have bound her together so tight that she didn't notice it."

"We should take her to help then," he said as he made a motion to move.

"Hold on. I want to help her as much as you, but there are still risks. Let's give it a little time.I'll call to get a doctor down here."

"Look we don't have time. We have no idea how bad it is. This…," he was broken off by Lucy's moan.

"Flynn," she raised her head up slightly, still in a haze of pain. "It hurts," she whimpered quietly.

"That's it," Flynn explained as he got up. "I'm taking her to the hospital. Can you get her dressed?" He left with a huff to rid himself of his nineteenth century stale clothing.

Lucy was his only priority in life right now and he meant he was going to take care of her no matter the risk.


	2. Chapter 2

Her eyes shuttered between half opened and closed, lights blurring in the void of darkness as their car sped down the highway at Flynn's will. All she heard was the revving of the engine as he sped up to race her to help and his distant voice alternating between murmuring in Croatian and calling out her name.

"Lucy, you've got to stay awake, okay? Can you do that for me?"

She rolled her head back and forth, struggling to keep her eyes focused. Her world felt like a warm blur that she couldn't quite catch a grasp on, floating around her. She tried, she really tried to focus on his voice. She heard the concern laced through it that almost sounded like… fear? It was a strange emotion to be coming from such a courageous and tenacious person, which is why she was sure it wasn't true. She tried repeating every word he said in her mind just to keep herself alert, but she could hardly remember them as soon as they crossed his lips. Her heart thudded and her brain screamed and she felt like her body would soon give out or explode or be nothing at all.

Then it was all white.

"Lucy!" he cried out to her the second her head dropped lifelessly. He shook her and pleaded with her but to no avail. "Damn it," he muttered to himself in defeat.

He sped and ran the car as fast as it could go. Turns out the bunker was close to nowhere and it was taking time to reach a hospital, time Lucy may not have.

His thoughts raced. What would happen without Lucy? The team would crumble, Emma would continue to change history for the worse, chances of ever getting Rufus back would dissolve, and, selfishly, he would never get to tell her how he feels.

But none of that mattered. It wasn't relevant. Because Lucy was not leaving them today.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Finally, finally he reached a hospital.

After that, it was a flash of a blur of what happened. Nurses taking Lucy from his arms, him recalling her injury with as little detail as allowed, doctors rushing to perform tests and make orders, and then her, being wheeled away from him on a gurney, pale, small, with sweaty hair plastered to her face, but most of all, alone.

He ached to be able to do more for her.

A voice called him out of his daze. It was a nurse who had obviously called out to him more than once. She asked to have a look at his arm. He didn't even realize his injury had torn open again in the commotion and it was now dripping blood down his sleeve.

The stitch up was quick and the scrub shirt he was given was clean, but now all he had to do was wait. He tried to shut his mind off from the wondering. Wondering how it was going. Wondering how she was doing. Wondering what the outcome of it all would be. Wondering what he would do if… stop. He couldn't even think that. He tried to push away those thoughts with a sigh he let out, leaning back in the hard plastic waiting room chair. He hadn't realized how tired he was or that he ached a little when he exhaled, not until he let his eyes drift close for a moment.

A gentle shake from the nurse woke him from a fitful stupor. It was still dark outside so it must not have been too long. His muscles cried out in protest as went to stand but it didn't stop him.

"You're Kate's husband, correct?" the nurse inquired.

Two lies.

He couldn't give them any part of Lucy's real name in case Emma was on the hunt for them. He also couldn't say he was her history crime fighting partner or they wouldn't let him see her. Besides, it's not like they hadn't pretended to be husband and wife before. So, yes, lies, like they always did on missions, except now their real lives had become one.

"Yes," he replied in a graveled, sleep-worn whisper.

"She's out of surgery and did remarkably well considering her injury." Flynn sighed a breath of relief. "However, the knife she was stabbed with left her with a nasty infection. Her body is trying to fight it off but is already compromised because of the blood loss."

"Well can't you give her something?" He didn't understand. Were they letting her suffer? Why weren't they helping her?

"We have done as much as we can for now. It's a matter of wait and see." Flynn's head was spinning. From elation at her successful surgery to despair at her current condition, he didn't know what to do or think or breathe.

"Can I at least see her?" he stumbled out. And then he was being led down a series of hallways and wards and then into a private room. And there she lay. So fragile and small with all these monitors surrounding her. Seas of blue and purple splotches marred her body in evidence of Emma's attack. It killed him. This was not the strong and confident Lucy he had typically been met with. She was so vulnerable. And he had been too late to do anything about it. All he wanted, needed to do now was help her, but he didn't know how.

After a prolonged moment of staring in awe at her just inside the door, he shook himself from his reverie and quietly went to sit next to her. Taking a cool cloth, he dabbed at the beads of sweat on her forehead, taking one of her hands and holding it, running his thumb across her knuckles every once in a while. She tossed about in her feverish state but never opened her eyes.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The hours went by slowly. For a while he drifted in and out of sleep, only startled awake when Lucy would toss and turn, mumbling incoherent strings of words. The nurses would breeze in and out, checking vitals and adjusting monitors but never saying anything.

He knew by mid morning that something wasn't right. Lucy hadn't moved in hours and her fever worsened. He watched her now wide awake. And when her breathing became labored, he rushed to get help. He was reluctantly pushed out from her room into the hall. All he could hear were the orders of the doctors and the alarms on the machines. He slumped to the ground and put his head in his hands, wishing for it to all be over. Wishing for her to be back to herself. Wishing for her to just wake up.

After a while, a doctor retreated from her room and cleared his throat to get Flynn's attention. He quickly jumped to his feet and questioned what had happened.

"Well, for starters, her infection has worsened." Flynn felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. "The fever means her body is still working to fight it, but the respiratory distress means her other organs are suffering. If the fever persists, it could heat up her brain and cause damage, so we've given her medication and put her in a coma for the rest of the day to protect her brain." The doctor went on the explain risks and other measures to be taken, but Flynn could hardly take it.

"Will she be alright?" He gasped out amongst all the medical language.

"It's still a wait and see game I'm afraid."

This floored Flynn. How could they not fix her? Wait and see was just not good enough. They needed to do something for her. They needed to save her.

But he didn't say any of this. All he did was nod in thanks to the doctor.

He returned to her room and it looked so much worse. He could hardly see her face for the bulky ventilator and monitors stuck all over her body. He just stared back and forth all over her in disbelief.

"You should let me redress you wound," the nurse whispered to him gently. So he let her while he disparagingly stared over Lucy's condition.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The next morning he waited with bated breath as the doctor returned to remove Lucy from the ventilator, holding her hand as they worked on her. As the tube was unhooked, Flynn brought her hand to his mouth and breathed a warm sigh over her fingers. After seconds of feeling like hours stretched on, he watched her chest to see any rise and fall movement.

"Breathe, dammit Lucy," he murmured under his breath.

And after a moment, she did, with a big gasp from her small body.

Flynn sighed the breath he didn't realize he was holding and brushed a kiss over her knuckles, an action she would probably kill him for if she knew it.

Again they waited.

Waited for her to move. Waited for her to wake up. Waited for any other signs of life.

Nothing came for the rest of the day.

Or the day after that.

By the next afternoon, trying to hold back the despair, the anger, the concern, the tears in his voice, he urgently pleaded to the nurse as for why she hadn't woken up.

"Give her time. She will wake when she's ready." was all he was given in response.

That night, he stared at her, trying to memorize every feature on her face, trying to detect any flinch or shutter of motion.

Nothing.

Not for a while.

Until

Her eyelashes began to flutter.

And she let out a small cough.

Then she was awake.

Flynn sat next to her in awe the whole time. A wash of worry crossed her features as she looked around her strange surroundings.

"You're okay, it's okay," he was quick to reassure her. His hand that had been holding hers squeezed it in encouragement as she tried to get her bearings. Her eyes flashed to their clasped hands as Flynn quickly slipped his from hers, opening her mouth to try to speak, nothing coming out but another cough.

"Here," Flynn whispered as he reached for a water cup. A moment passed and he could see the confusion on her face, trying to piece it all together herself. Her life from the last moments of Flynn holding her back in Chinatown was all a haze. Flashes of her sweaty body leaning against his and him distantly calling out her name as they sped down a road crossed her mind as her memory came back. It still wasn't all making since though. How are they here?

"What happened?" she finally whispered.

Flynn gave her the account of the fainting and finding the knife wound, and then having to fight Denise to bring her there, then the events of the hospital. Flynn was sad to be telling it for it was a hard story for him to recount. After a few moments of silence, he raked his hand through his already disheveled hair and puffed out a sigh, whispering, "I thought I lost you. I thought you may never wake up."

Lucy didn't know what to say.

She was trying to formulate a response when Flynn reached up and placed the back of his hand on her forehead with concern knitted across his brow. "You still have a fever. How are you feeling?" He asked as she leaned into his touch. She felt her world spinning and her eyes couldn't focus anymore. She tried to answer his question but all she could do was shake her head. Flynn helped her lie back and announced that he was going to get the doctor. He gave her some space while they administered more medication to help reduce her fever and pain.

Now what?

That was all he kept thinking.

What could he do for her now?

Where do they go from here?

He certainly couldn't go back to how we felt before all this happened.

He would just have to see how she was feeling, how she was going to react to it all.

So he went back into her room with an open mind, and an open heart.

Lucy was sitting up on the edge of her bed and he went to stand next to her. Being right beside her so many hours caused him to have this natural pull to be close to her, but he didn't want to scare her. So, he just stood next to her, for whatever she needed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy felt him looming over her.

Not in the big scary way she used to think of it.

But more in the protective light that she had seen from him recently.

She knew he wanted her to say something, but she didn't know what or how. She was still trying to process it all and he was giving her time, but, after everything, she knew he had waited enough.

She didn't realize her eyes had been zoned out at the window in her small hospital room. It was dusk and the sun had just dipped below the horizon, painting the clouds with an array of orange. She wanted to see it. It was the first look of the outside of her present time that she had had in weeks.

Lucy stood slowly to move closer to the window, but her legs wobbled and she felt some of the dizziness return.

Flynn saw her waver and reached both hands out to catch hers. He clasped each hand as she bore weight on him while her light-headedness subsided, feeling her frustration.

"Easy now, maybe you should sit back down," he whispered gently in her ear.

Lucy clutched his hands as tears squeezed out of her tightly shut eyes.

Then came the sobbing.

It was unexpected of someone who always held such a strong front. But he had seen her crack recently. He of all people had seen her vulnerabilities. Who was he now to do anything but what he had been in recent weeks, listen and support her.

"I just lost my mother," she said in between sobs. "As terrible as she was, she was still my mother and now she's gone. And we lost Rufus. I… I don't know if we can get him back. Then, Emma… she… I just let her… slip through my fingers. I almost had her. And now… I wake up and I feel like I've been hit by a truck and I've been in a… coma."

It was all too much for her. She felt like her whole world was crashing down around her and all she could do was watch it happen.

"I just wanted to look out the window," she said with a sob of finality.

She fell in exhaustion onto Flynn's chest and held on as her body shook with sobs. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, feeling the warm tears on his skin as she buried her face in his neck. He held her hoping she would never feel this way again in her life. He held her hoping that there was something, anything he could do to make her feel better.

Many moments into their embrace, when the sobbing turned to sniffles, she leaned back slightly and looked up at him with watery eyes. He softly brushed a thumb over her cheek to wipe away a stray tear.

"It'll be alright, Lucy," he murmured softly, accent thick with emotion.

Then he lead her to the window to look out.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Hello! First time fic writer here so I wanted to say thank you all for the encouragement and support in the fandom. This won't be a super long fic so be on the look out for the next few chapters this week or so. Thanks everyone :)


	3. Chapter 3

He was watching her again, peacefully, chest rising and falling with each new breath.

Her tearful moment led to a fit of exhaustion, promptly returning to bed, claiming only to rest her eyes, but falling deep asleep in a matter of minutes.

That was fine with Flynn though.

She was okay.

He kept repeating that in his mind over and over.

She could sleep, for in the morning she would wake again. And he would get to see her deep, brown eyes again. And hopefully see her smile this time. The way her eyes would flutter with light and her cheeks would dimple and her lips would curl up in this certain way.

He missed it, more than he realized and more than he wanted to admit, and ached to see it again.

He ached to see her happy again.

And he fell asleep for the first time in days to that dream.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy awoke to the grey early light streaking through the blinds of her hospital room. She stretched her body slightly, but stopped at its soreness, especially where her side was bandaged. Her head drifted to the side where a large, dozing Croatian sat in a chair up against her bed.

Her hazy brain found its way back to the past week, to yesterday, to him. How he was so very concerned with her welfare and so anxious to make her better. The way he held her and supported her. It was a different side of him.

Different from the brisk grabs of her arm at their first few encounters. Different from some of his previous clenched teeth conversations. Even different from some of his nonchalant bunker moods of late.

It may be a surprise to everyone else, but

She knew.

She knew that Flynn could be concerned and cautious, caring and touching, helpful and thoughtful. She knew there was more than the enemy some still saw him as or the reckless vigilante willing to shoot his way through any situation.

She knew from their many missions together and she knew from their time in the bunker.

And now, he was the only one here. The only one, after everything, who was helping her and healing her and safeguarding her.

She felt comfort in him.

She felt… something else?

No, she couldn't. Could she?

This was not at all how she thought any of this would work out.

But she was drawn to him. She had been in some way since the beginning, at the Hindenburg. Even though so much had happened. Even though they were both different people now.

On an instinct, she leaned over to reach for his hand that had been draped across the edge of her bed. She slipped her small hand underneath his large one and laced her fingers between his. He felt warm and safe.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Meanwhile, his head roared with nightmares all too real. Flashes of Lucy's eyes staring back at him in fear, sounds of gunshots of all the many people he had tried to harm, all the times he had lied and threatened and tricked.

Mistrust. Loss. Anger.

He may have been helpful of late, he may have started this all for a good and honorable reason, but where was he now?

Pain.

He caused so much of it.

That he was a mess was an understatement. Mess was a lie. Mess meant there could be pieces put back together, something was salvageable.

No, he was not that.

And how?

How after all that did he think he could in any way deserve Lucy Preston?

He could never risk her being hurt in any way again.

Flynn leaned back in his chair and draped and arm over his eyes to impede the light, but to no avail. His head rolled from underneath his arm and as his eyes began to focus out from their sleep, he felt a delicate weight on his hand.

Peering out, he was met his Lucy's slight hand intertwined beneath his and her soft eyes gazing out at him.

She smiled at him.

Beautiful.

Flynn sat up and cocked that half sided smirk at her.

"God, you don't know how happy I am to see that smile, Lucy," he whispered.

Regretfully, he slipped his hand from hers, still reeling from his dreams and feeling determined.

"Lucy, I must go now. I'll wait until Agent Christopher comes but after that, I'm gone, and you will probably never see me again."

Floored. Her heart sank. Eyes watering in panic. Her world was turning upside down once again.

"Whaaa… why?" she gasped out.

He couldn't look at her. He couldn't see that he was hurting her again.

"I'm a bad guy, Lucy," he whispered. "I am the reason this has gotten the way it has. I am the reason for so much of your pain, your loss. I have done terrible, unspeakable things. I have been gruesome. I have been appalling. I have been dangerous…" He finally met her welling eyes. "And I can't risk being near you anymore."

A single tear dropped down her face and she looked up in annoyance.

"So that's just it," she quipped back somewhat angrily a minute later. "After everything we've been through together? You're just going to cut and run. Give up?… Well I won't let you. Flynn this is not on you. You did not start this. You are not the reason I am here. You are not the one who has caused me so much pain." Lucy blinked away a few tears and whispered, "You were the one I came to when I was in pain. You were the one this whole time trying to catch the bad guys."

She straightened her posture the best she could, trying to make him understand. "Look, Flynn, you are a good man who has experienced something terrible and you tried to fix it. And I believe in you. I believe you are still good… And if you leave…" her trembling hand grabbed his, "You will be just like everyone else in my life." Flynn looked away in anguish. "Please. Don't." she finished.

He never wanted to give up on her. That was never his intention.

So he didn't.

Flynn looked down at her, leaning into her pleading gaze boring into him, as if she knew every fiber of his being and was asking it all, every part of him, to stay.

"Okay," he whispered, grazing his thumb across her knuckles.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy leaned back onto the pillows, reeling from what had just happened.

She never thought he could just leave like that. Not now, not after everything.

But then again, she didn't know that was truly how he felt about himself.

However, if he could just leave like that, he must not feel the way she thought he did, the way she does.

She couldn't let it go. She had to know.

Begrudgingly, she let go of his hand to push herself up and swing her legs over the side of the bed, meeting him eye to eye.

"I do have a question for you," she murmured, sighing out of nervousness, eyes leaving his for the ground.

"Anything," he replied.

"When we were in Chinatown, and you said you didn't give a damn about Wyatt, that… that wasn't why you were here… and then I asked you why you were here and you didn't say anything. So… I'm asking again, why are you still here Flynn?" she asked looking around, looking at the mess they were in.

He didn't know if he was ready for that.

He didn't know if he was actually able to say the answer. He wanted to so much. But, what if this would push her away.

He mulled this over as he stood and nervously raked his fingers through his hair, pacing back and forth a little.

Her eyes gazed up at him, pleading for an answer. One she thought she already knew.

"I…" he started, unsure, wavering. Was this right? Was it right to tell her now? What if she pushed him away?

A slight shake of the head dashed unanswered questions away. "To hell with it…" he gazed into her questioning eyes. "You," he breathed, "It's you. You are the reason I'm here. Every mission, every day every hour… it's all for you.." He whispered the last part because he had barely even let himself think that before.

He overthought it the minute he spoke it.

He should have waited, what if she wasn't ready to hear that?

What if that was his one shot and he just blew it?

What if it scared her.

But also,

What if this could change everything.

She could see him thinking.

Tossing it over in his mind.

Lucy stood up and caught him mid pace, grazing a hand across his side.

"Garcia."

He stopped instantly.

She reached up as far as she could and placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth, his eyelashes fluttering in disbelief.

Almost as quickly as she retreated, he dipped down and placed another in the same spot. She sighed a small breath.

She caught him as he was pulling away in time to brush her lips against his. She backed away, only an inch, as her lips parted reaching toward him hesitantly. He felt her breathe.

That was it.

Flynn cupped her face with both his hands, pulling her closer and placed a firm, tender kiss on her lips, sealing his statement to her. It was all for her.

She kissed him back.

Gentle and adoring, she kissed him.

He put everything he was feeling into that kiss. Every ounce of reassurance to her that everything he had been doing for weeks was for her and everything he would do for the rest of his life was for her. Lucy Preston. His always.

He slowly broke away, leaning his head down to press against hers, watching her chest move up and down with each breath. He brought his arms down once more to wrap around her, never wanting to forget this feeling. Never wanting to forget the first time he kissed her.

She knelt her head down in the crook of his neck, breathing him in. Her hand grazed up his neck and landed on his jaw, running over it tenderly.

And they held each other for what felt like forever, for what they wished was forever.

All was still.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucy was resting again and it gave Flynn time to think. He needed to get them out of there. But he didn't want to go back to the bunker. He didn't want to keep going, keep fighting with Rittenhouse. Ever since the moment in the alley where he chose to comfort Lucy rather than chase after what was left of Rittenhouse, he knew where his priorities lay. Not that he no longer cared about his vendetta or revenge or mission or whatever it had become, but he saw how little those actions would truly be worth. He was a different person now.

He contemplated it all and turned all the solutions over in his head. None of them were perfect. But all of the ones he made were always in the best interest of Lucy.

As if hearing the loudness of his thoughts, Lucy's eyes drifted open. Seeing the concern in his knitted brow, she teased him, murmuring, "What has you all serious?"

He turned her way and offered a smile.

"C'mere," she said, voice still laced with sleep, pulling back the blankets on her bed. "You should sleep over here. Nights in that chair can't be too good for you."

He raised an eyebrow at her, in question and jest.

She smiled in response and held out her hand.

He took it, sliding in beside her. At first, he didn't want to take up too much room, but Lucy had him move to the middle of the bed so she could drape her body half over his, laying a hand on his chest and weaving her legs between his. After wiggling into comfort, Flynn began drawing light circles across her back and she let out a sigh of contentment.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He woke early.

His dreams weren't only dreams for there she lay next to him, sleeping peacefully. His heart began to swell in love for her, but he was quickly brought down to earth at his recurring thoughts of their leaving, just when the phone on the wall began to ring.

Flynn was reluctant to answer, but did so just to stop the ringing from waking Lucy.

"Flynn," Denise's urgent voice came over before he could even answer. "She found you. Emma."

Flynn felt the blood drain from his face.

No.

"We've been watching the hospital and she just walked in. You need to leave now! Take Lucy and go somewhere safe. I'll find a way to contact you."

"Wait, wait. No. Not like this. I can't. Lucy isn't well enough yet. She needs more time. I will not put her health in danger. Look, I have a gun. If it's just her, I can take her," Flynn replied brazenly.

"You can't. Listen to me Flynn, you just can't. You need to run. Get as much as you can for Lucy and get out now. That's an order."

He was met, stunned, with the dial tone of Denise quickly ending the call.

Not giving himself time to think, he quickly turned to Lucy and was met with her questioning eyes.

"It's Emma," he said resignedly. "We have to leave… now."

He scrounged around for a pair of scrubs for Lucy and quickly, but gently, pulled her IV out and removed the monitors taped to her chest. He stashed as much of her medicine as he could find and wrapped the blankets around her, hooking one arm under her legs and the other under her back, scooping her up to leave. His sudden actions startled Lucy and she winced in pain at her stitches pulling. Flynn could have kicked himself for causing her any more pain, but she offered him a small sigh of reassurance. He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead before they began their escape.

The hurried pace, the glances backward, the pounding hearts as they rushed through the maze of hallways, it was a thrill they were all too used to.

Soon, they heard the distant shots from a few hallways away.

"She's coming, Flynn" Lucy whispered with a slight tremble in her voice.

"I've got you," he whispered reassuringly, picking up the pace near the exit.

But he could sense that they weren't going to make it.

Rounding a corner, he gently placed Lucy on the floor and drew out the gun he had stashed away this whole time. It wasn't long before a flash of red hair appeared and he fired a single shot, just enough to disable her so they could get away. He swept Lucy back up and ran as fast as he could out of the building.

Outside, Flynn placed Lucy in the passenger seat and buckled her in, per their new habit. Lucy remembered speeding off and driving for a while, but then she just couldn't hold her eyes open anymore.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy awoke to the grey white light of a clouded mid morning, peering out to a winding road through the forest. It was much cooler here she realized, tugging at the hospital blanket still draped across her body. Flynn's warm hand was intertwined with hers as his other draped over the steering wheel, lazily rolling it through the curves in the road. He glanced her way as another smirk danced across his face.

"Morning," he murmured, bringing her hand to his mouth to place a kiss to her knuckles. She smiled at his smile, but still had confusion knitted in her brow. "You slept through the rest of the day and into the night. We would have been there by now, but I had to keep rerouting us just in case Emma had followed us. Not far now."

Lucy admonished him for driving through the night, not allowing himself any rest.

"We were fleeing Emma, and I would do anything to keep you safe," he replied more seriously, looking over at her. Her head was bowed in reflection, thumb mindlessly circling his hand. She thought back to the many times he had risked himself to keep her safe. He had jumped in front of bullets for her, stood in the way of killers for her, and for a while now. Why had he always done that?

"Why?" she blurted out in confusion.

Flynn looked over at her in disbelief. Did she still not believe that he did everything for her and would always do everything for her? He thought she understood how he felt about her. He thought she knew.

She saw the hurt and turmoil etched across his face and quickly realized her mistake.

"No, no, no." she tried to reassure him. "I know why you would now, but why have you always. You have saved me countless times, but surely you haven't always felt this way?"

He paused, trying to gather himself and discern what he was trying to say.

"The journal," he began, "Your journal. I read it over and over. I knew that you needed to survive. It was hard at first. I knew you were the heir to Rittenhouse and how connected your family was to it all. You represented everything I was fighting against. But I kept reading it, over and over. I read it so many times that I felt like I knew you before I even knew you. And then, it was not a need to keep you alive, but a want to. I wanted to protect you more than I wanted to stop Rittenhouse. That's why I was there. For you." He paused, taking a breath to steady himself. "Because I love you." Flynn turned to look her in the eyes.

He was met by her dark ones staring him down, processing, thinking, hoping for the truth, but being ready if it wasn't. Her eyes read as skepticism and he saw it all drawn across her features. He knew she didn't believe him. And why should she? From enemies to lovers in the span of a few months, it didn't read as possible.

But it was.

And she had to know that as truth.

With a last squeeze of her hand, he slowly drew the car to a stop on the empty road. He had to be looking her in the eyes when he said this. Without looking back or explaining or even saying a word he got out of the car and walked to the passenger side, opening the door to a perplexed but trustingly silent Lucy turning toward him.

He reached for her hands, enclosing each with his larger ones. Her hands had turned to ice in the cold mountain air, so he met them with his mouth to sigh a breath of warm air against her fingers.

Flynn looked down at her, strong eyes meeting her earnest ones. The corners of his mouth lifted as a slow smile graced his features. His face read as nothing but admiration and passion and devotion.

She saw all of it. She saw him. She saw his truth.

"Lucy," he breathed, "I love you."

His head dipped down to hers and placed a warm kiss to her lips, sealing his promise.

Not wanting to get caught up in his fervor, he broke away but lingered inches from her face, breathing her in. Lucy's lips parted and reached up toward him, dragging on his bottom lip slightly before pulling him in for another longing, ardorous kiss.

This time it was her who shied away, breaking from him to look into his eyes.

She knew she had to tell him. She knew he had to know. He was more than her protector. More than her comforter. More than a partner or friend or whatever they were now. He meant more than she knew before now.

She had pushed him off in her mind, claiming to herself that she could never feel such emotions for Flynn. But it slowly crept in, and now, she felt the same.

"I love you too," she whispered with a smile that reached her eyes.

He stared back at her with disbelief that turned to wonder that turned to adoration. Breathing out a sigh of joy, his whole face erupted in the happiest smile she had ever seen from him. Lucy let out an elated laugh, feeling lighter than she had in years.

Both had found love again.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy looked over at Flynn who had a hand draped over her leg as they lulled down the road again. She smiled to herself, brushing the back of her hand against her lips, reminiscing his soft lips on hers.

His demeanor had changed now. She kept noticing it more and more recently. He still had an air of seriousness, frequently glancing at the rearview mirror for unwanted followers. But now, he felt less heavy, less brooding. He was more relaxed and open, smiling more.

Upon her request, he recounted more that she had missed in what was likely still a drug induced sleep. How worried he had been about her when they got back to the bunker. How he cried fearing she would never wake up. How he kept looking at her while they were driving to make sure she was still breathing. How beautiful he thought she was when she slept.

Just as he was telling her that they were going to an old friend's house, one who was untraceable to him, up in the mountains of Washington, they arrived to a gorgeous cliffside house surrounded by forests.

Lucy walked in and had almost forgotten what a clean, well-lit home felt like with normal rooms and nice beds. It was for sure not the bunker they had dreaded returning to after every mission.

They brought in nothing with them, for they had nothing but each other. Like nomads, they were welcomed into their new place of refuge.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

so, so sorry this chapter was short and delayed. I'll try to post the next one soon :) thanks for all the support!


	5. Chapter 5

A light laughter wafted throughout the quiet house as Lucy sat atop the kitchen counter while Flynn worked at the stove. A giggle came out every time she tried to reply to something funny Flynn said.

"I'm just saying that it's a little tickly," she finally got out in response to him. She was referencing the scruffy shadow that had grazed itself across Flynn's face in his days without shaving.

"Oh, really? Ticklish like this," he mocked before lightly skimming his face across hers in an effort to make her squirm. More laughter bubbled up as she grabbed both sides of his face and drew him into a kiss. He couldn't help the smile that drew across his face as she did. Another cry of amusement escaped her lips as he continued to graze his lips down her neck, tickling her with every move.

He leaned back to look at her, skimming her face with his eyes, taking her all in. Lucy tried to catch her breath from the laughing and blushed at the attention. She wasn't used to Flynn looking at her with so much adoration.

"I must look terrible from being in the hospital for so long," she said self-consciously.

He looked back into her eyes, tongue slipping out of a soft grin to wet his lips. "Ti si lijepa draga moja, ljubavi moja," he murmured, placing another soft kiss on her lips. "You are beautiful."

"Now," he said as reached behind her to the stove, dipping a spoon into the pan and gliding it up to her mouth, "You need to eat, regain your strength. Who knows when we'll be on the run again."

Lucy looked seriously up into his eyes, almost shaken from the reverie of the moment they had created.

"How long do you think we will have to run?"

"Hopefully," he sighed, "Not much longer." Flynn reached up to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

They ate what had become Flynn's specialty meal in the bunker, reminding them in a way of home, of what felt like a completely different life.

Lucy declared that in their time outside the bunker, they should watch as many sunsets as they could. So, they sat on the sofa in front of the living room's large window walls and watched as the sky turned from fiery orange to subdued purple.

Lucy had nestled into Flynn's side and placed her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. Almost as quickly as the colors faded into the horizon, Lucy's eyes drifted close, breath evening out.

Flynn picked her up and carried her to the large bed in the bedroom, placing her in the swallowing sheets next to him. She stirred in her sleep and curled into Flynn's large embrace. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He lay there watching her sleep for hours, used to it by now and still wanting to keep an eye out, but soon his eyes drifted close and he slept soundly.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Flynn woke in the middle of the night, a habit he had picked up now that Lucy was under his care. To his relief, she lay there next to him, more so on top of him, dozing peacefully. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, almost in fear that she may slip away from him, hoping she would never leave his arms again. He inhaled her scent as she pressed up against him, memorizing her every feature, the fearless, courageous, strong-willed, beautiful woman whom he loved.

Lucy woke hours later in the warm cocoon of the bed, breathing in the grey light that filtered through the window. Her arm grazed over the opposite side of the bed, but found it cold in his absence. Feet hitting the cool floor, she wrapped a blanket around herself and sought him out.

She found him outside on the balcony overlooking the vast forest that surrounded them. She quietly slipped behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt him let out a sigh, turning to meet her face.

Her hair was mused and smile soft from sleep, and Flynn thought she was the most beautiful. At her small shiver, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her close to his warm body. He slipped a hand around the nape of her neck and dropped his head down to meet hers. Lucy's eyes drifted close at his presence, breathing in his scent, never wanting him to let go.

Flynn peppered a soft kiss on her cheek, whispering, "I love you." Lucy's eyes slowly opened at hearing their new profession for each other. He moved to the other cheek and did the same. Her eyes fluttered closed as he placed another kiss on her forehead, murmuring, "I love you." then, he tilted her face up to his and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. When he broke away and pulled her back into his embrace, he said so quietly she almost couldn't hear, "I love you, Lucy."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Later in the day, Flynn's head jerked up from the book he was reading as he heard a car approaching the house. Lucy rose from her position on the sofa as Flynn swiftly reached over for his gun.

"Do you think it's her?" she whispered as she neared him.

Flynn looked at her seriously as he strided toward her. Whoever it was was making no secrecy of their presence. With a slam of the car door and footsteps approaching the door, Lucy's heart beat erratically with the possibility of danger finding them once more.

Flynn put his arm out toward Lucy and corralled her behind his back, placing himself as a human shield in between her and their intruder. As the assailant turned the doorknob, he drew his gun and stood poised ready to attack and protect.

To their relief, it was Denise who unlocked the door and stepped through.

"God, Flynn," she said, startled at his drawn weapon.

"Wha-at are you doing here? How did you find us?" Lucy exclaimed in relief.

"I called her from a gas station on the way. I just didn't think she would actually come," Flynn interjected, disarming his gun.

"Well, I have news," she replied. Always being one to get right to the point, she opened with, "Emma is dead."

Shock and disbelief crossed both Lucy and Flynn's faces.

"Whaa… how?" Lucy didn't understand. She remembered just letting Emma go in Chinatown, thinking they may never be able to get her now, thinking may be on the run from her forever.

Denise briefly explained the tiring process of how Benjamin Cahill was able to locate Emma in exchange for protection.

"And Rufus?" Flynn asked.

"After you took Lucy to the hospital, Jiya was still fuming and recklessly sneaked back on her own to bring him back. They are experiencing some side effects but Connor is working with them. And Wyatt is working on going back to active duty. All that to say, the time team is disbanded."

Lucy looked up at Flynn in disbelief. They had fought and struggled for so long and now it was just over. They were certainly glad it was but still such an odd feeling, almost anti-climactic.

Both lost in thought didn't realize Denise was waiting for a reply.

"Oh… so… are we all good? I mean… are we safe now? No one is going to come after us?" the historian asked.

"All of Rittenhouse and its descendants have been located and are under the attention of the government. Unfortunately the lifeboat and mothership are being disassembled. Your names have been cleared of anything that could be seen as criminal and you will have immunity for anything done under this project. The…" she reached in her bag to produce two envelopes, "Department of Homeland Security thanks you for your service and offers each of you a job if the need ever arises." Each envelope contained a significant check for their contributions.

"And…,"she reached for two duffel bags, "I know it's not much, but here are both of your things from the bunker."

She smiled at them with a knowing look. "You know, I'm glad you two got together."

Lucy stumbled over what to say, not knowing Agent Christopher had known.

"Well… I mean… who would have known," Lucy replied looking up lovingly at Flynn.

"You did," Denise replied in reference to the journal as she walked out.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

They had spent a while talking to each other about what Agent Christopher had unloaded on them, processing that what their entire lives revolved around for the last two years was over.

"Do you feel at peace about avenging Lorena and Iris?" Lucy finally asked the hard question.

Flynn puffed out a sigh. "I think having a part of ending Rittenhouse is enough for me now. I feel as though I avenged their deaths and, besides, I wouldn't want to go back to a time when they still existed. I am a different person now," he replied resignedly. Lucy grabbed his hand to reassure him.

"But… what about you? Your family is… gone," he treaded lightly.

"I think a part of me will always regret how this all went down. I lost my sister because of it. I lost who I thought my family was. It will take a while to come to terms with it all. But, I have a new family now," she said softly, kissing his hand. "In you. In the team, I'm sure we'll keep in touch. And that's what I need."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Her muscles released months of tension as she sank into the steaming hot bath, letting the bubbles surround her body. She let her head lean back against edge, releasing a breath of contentment.

The warmth and quiet had almost lulled her to sleep when Flynn walked into the room. "May I join you?" he asked in a low voice against her ear, desperately wanting to be closer to her, but not wanting to rush her into anything. Her lips curled up in affirmation as she turned to place a warm kiss on his lips.

Lucy watched as he peeled off the clothes he had worn too many days in a row, exposing his toned form. She blushed and turned away when he caught her staring as he smirked back at her. Lucy leaned forward to make room for him and he deftly slid behind her into the warm water, knees coming up to surround her small frame. Before she could lean back, he was brushing aside the wet strands of hair to kiss her shoulder, leaving a hot trail up her neck. She hummed in response, feeling her body get even warmer. Then she turned her head back toward him as he cupped her jaw to bring her into a passionate kiss, searing his love to her all over again. Flynn drew her back into himself as he leaned toward the back of the tub. Her lips parted from his as she looked up, running a light hand over his cheek.

"I love you," she whispered, placing another sweet kiss on his lips.

She turned back around to lean her back flush against his strong chest. His fingers delicately slid up and down her arms, soothing her mind, head falling into the crook of his neck. They lay there for a while, enjoying the simplicity of each other's touch, the closeness.

"Draga moja," he murmured against her skin, running fingertips up and down her stomach.

"Garcia," she whispered.

He gave her one more soft kiss before leaning her forward to get out. He came back with a towel that he held open for her as she delicately stepped out of the tub. Wrapping her up to get warm, Flynn held her close to him, feeling her breath rush in and out. His hot breath caught against her hair and she looked up at him, dazed. His eyes were soft and caring as he loomed over her, so close she breathed him in with every second. His head dipped down to hers, barely touching, a tentative kiss. Almost like a question.

"I love you," she replied. Then he took her hand and softly led her to their bed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

We are nearing the end on this one, so next chapter will be the last. thanks for sticking around this far :)


	6. Chapter 6

\- epilogue -

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Garcia slipped behind Lucy, grazing a loving hand down her arm and pressing a kiss on her cheek. He read the last few words she had been writing in the leatherbound journal, stuffed to the brim with photographs and drawings, words stretching every inch of the pages.

"Are you finished?" he whispered in her ear.

"I think so. It's everything as I remember it from this reality. I just hope I will never have to take it back in time to you. I hope no version of ourselves ever has to do it all over again," she sighed tracing her eyes over the pages. All her memories, moments, opinions, secrets were bound up in those words. Her life in ink. A totally different life than what she ever dreamt up. With it, she gave up heartbreak and loss, almost as if blowing it into the wind of a different time.

In the very final corner of the back page, she signed, Lucy Flynn.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Flynn smiled softly to himself as he gazed over Lucy's dozing form. The light from the afternoon sun made her skin glow beautifully as her hair, mused and curled, fell across her shoulder. He slipped into the warm sheets behind her and wrapped a hand over her ever rounding stomach.

It was the happiest surprise.

It happened only a few months after everything had happened. He thought back to how nervous she had been when she found out.

He knew instantly something was different about her, little cues that no one else would have noticed clued him in. He couldn't believe that it could be true, and don't really believe it until she told him.

One night after coming home from his job at Homeland Security, he found Lucy pacing the kitchen floor, back and forth, back and forth. He reached out a hand to catch her hip and she stopped mid step to gaze up at him. She looked so concerned, not knowing what to do, not knowing what would come next.

"Lucy," he whispered, like a breath of encouragement but also laced with a question.

She looked away, brow knit.

Then she gazed back up at him and whispered, "I'm pregnant."

He was stunned at first.

Pregnant.

Even though he knew that was what she was going to say, his mind still raced at the thought.

How could this be the way it was happening. They hadn't even talked about it. They had just settled in to a new routine, a new life outside of time traveling and chasing bad guys. How did this fit into their new life? How could he be a father again?

But

He loved her so much.

He couldn't think of a better blessing than to have a baby with her.

Lucy watched all of this go through his mind with bated breath.

Garcia reached down and brought her into a soft kiss. She was surprised by his reaction, but she let his warmth fill her body.

Pulling away, she asked in a small voice, "So you're okay with this?"

Garcia sighed, sad at her worry, but still elated at her news.

"Of course," he murmured back. "I love you. And I can't think of a better way to share that love." He pulled her into himself, wrapping her up and dashing away her fears. He felt her body release the tension and worry she had built up for weeks.

Pulling away, he grazed the back of his hand across her stomach. "How far along?"

"Ten weeks," she sighed in contentment, placing her hands on his chest.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I know I should have told you the moment I suspected anything but I became so worried and as the weeks passed the more I built it up in my head."

"It's okay," he whispered as he kissed her forehead.

She couldn't look at him for what she was about to ask him. She couldn't see the pain.

"Are you sure you're alright with being a father again? You said even if you could go back to your family, you wouldn't stay because you're a different person now. Do you think after everything you are willing to get past it and raise another child in this world?"

"Yes," he said firmly without hesitating. "It will be hard at first, no doubt, but I've grown and with you I can do anything."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy had the idea for the journal after Lillian was born. She wanted to make sure that if she ever had to, she could go back in time and give it to Flynn. Make him know that while he may not be able to fix time, he will always have a family.

:)


End file.
